1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related generally to an electromagnetic relay and method for manufacture, wherein the relay includes a coil, an angled yoke having first leg coupled to an end of the coil core and a second leg forming a bearing edge for a flat armature which forms a working air gap with an opposite end of the coil core, as well as a contact spring interacting with at least one cooperating contact element coupled to the armature.
2. Description of the Related Art
A relay is disclosed in German Utility Model 82 35 283 having a contact spring secured to an armature where the contact spring also serves the purpose of bearing the armature and restoring it to a quiescent position. A significant quality feature of the relay is that the force path characteristic of the armature when attracting lies in a prescribed region. To measure the force path characteristic during manufacturing, it is standard to press a measuring sensor against the armature and thereby measure the curve of the force. However, to obtain comparable values of the force measurement, the measuring sensor must always contact the armatures at the same predetermined distance from the bearing location.
Force measuring sensors having a probe tip have hitherto been used to measure the force characteristic of armatures. The probe tip contacts the surface of either the contact spring or of the armature, or possibly the flat surface of a rivet button. It is required that the measuring sensor's probe tip be extremely accurately positioned relative to the armature seat. In large scale industrial manufacturing, this is only possible at considerable expense and outlay.